Swing
by Reading-Bennie
Summary: The swing was still there, after all this time.


The swing was still there.

The man watched it sway lightly in the cool breeze, listening to the faint creak of the branch.

The rope was rough between his fingers.

He let the rope fall away and stood mesmerized by the renewed motion of the swing.

" _There he is; that monster child."_

" _Does it have a name?"_

" _Who cares?"_

 _The little boy sat on the swing and stared ahead at the crowd. His cheeks burned as he processed the whispers from the edge of the crowd. Everyone in the village hated him and it was killing him, not knowing why. The crowd eventually dissipated, leaving the little boy alone on the swing. It began to rain._

The breeze picked up a bit, ruffling the man's hair.

" _Kenji, can you come over and play today?"_

" _Hey guys! My dad said you could come over for dinner! Go ask if it's okay!"_

" _Don't talk so loud, Hibachi! We don't want that loser to hear us; he might follow!"_

 _The boy sat on the swing, as was his habit. He watched the other children run around, shouting excitedly, making plans with each other, looking over their shoulders at him, glaring at him, whispering loudly about him… The children were just like the adults. Always excluding him, calling him names, throwing things at him, picking fights… The boy had no friends._

" _Quick! Let's get out of here! He's so creepy!"_

 _The remaining children scattered. The boy remained on the swing. Alone._

The woman walked up behind the man, watching as the breeze lifted the hem of his cape; the red lettering on the back stood out against the crisp white material. He clenched his fist and she paused a moment.

" _Look! I did it! I'm a real ninja!"_

" _Congratulations! Let's hurry home to celebrate!"_

" _Yay! You passed!"_

 _The boy sat on the swing watching his classmates and their families celebrate. The children proudly showed off their new headbands, the shiny metal, engraved with Konoha's symbol, glinting in the sun. The boy sat alone, no family, no friends to celebrate. He adjusted the goggles on his head, no forehead protector to take their place because…_

" _Hahaha! That loser failed again!"_

" _Isn't this like, the third time he's taken this test?"_

" _How bad of a ninja do you have to be to fail three times!?"_

" _What a freak!"_

" _I'm glad he failed, then he won't be on my team!"_

 _The boy bowed his head lower to hide his face, to hide the tears leaving tracks down his cheeks._

"Naruto?" He didn't move. "Darling, what are you looking at?"

Hinata reached out and grasped his fist in her hands. She smoothed her fingers over his, willing them to relax and unclench. Once his fingers opened up to hers, she slotted them into the spaces and gave his palm a squeeze. He didn't move to look at her but responded by tightening his grip.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright?" He still didn't reply, staying silent, staring straight ahead. Hinata reached up with her free hand and turned his head to face her. She brushed away the tears that she felt on his cheek. "Darling, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Huh?" It was as if he was coming up for air. "Oh, I didn't realize…"

"What were you thinking about?" Hinata brushed away more tears.

"The… I was thinking about this swing."

"Tell me."

"Sometimes I feel like I'm in a dream." Naruto sighed. "Like I'll wake up and be kid again. And everyone will- I'll have no… I used to sit on this swing for hours when I was a kid. I'd watch everyone in the village as they walked by. Every day, just sitting and watching. Wondering why no one would talk to me, why they all hated me… what I had done. So I acted out and talked loud. But I was always back in the seat of this damn swing. Sitting and dreaming and hoping."

He paused for a moment, a lump forming in his throat. He let go of Hinata's hand in favor of wrapping his arms around her, drawing her in.

"And look at me now!" He buried his nose in her soft, blue hair. "I'm the Hokage, I'm the hero of the village, of the Shinobi world. I have mentors that never gave up on me, that pushed me to be my best. I've got the greatest friends in the world, people who'll always have my back. I have a family- a family! Something that I never dreamed I'd have; a son and a daughter who look up to me and who I need to protect with my all. And I have you, Hime. You, so beautiful, so loving. You loved me when no one else would. You supported me, believed in me when no one else would. Encouraged me, protected me, saved me, when no one else would. And seeing this swing, still here after all these years, it terrifies me, I could just be dreaming this all…

And at the same time, seeing this swing, it grounds me. It reminds where I started and how hard I worked and how far I've come." Naruto dipped his head and pressed his face into Hinata's neck. The two remained silent for a few minutes before Naruto lightly chuckled, his breath puffing across Hinata's collarbone.

"What's so funny?"

"Kuruma; he's giving me a hard time for the little trip down memory lane. He tries to act all tough, but deep down, he's a big ol' softie." Naruto smoothed a hand over Hinata's hair, tilting her head up for a kiss. "Not long before the test is over."

"Mmm, you're right." Hinata pulled back and fixed the collar of Naruto's cape. "It'll mean so much to Boruto that you're here."

"I wouldn't miss this day for the world. Where's Hima?"

"I left her at father's, with Hanabi. I thought we could celebrate with my father after we pick up Boruto."

Naruto hummed in agreement. The clearing ahead of them was beginning to fill with people, parents waiting for their children to come share their test results. Naruto draped an arm aver Hinata's shoulders and they stepped out to join the crowd.

There were children everywhere, jumping up and down excitedly sharing their results. The Uzumakis scanned the crowd for their son, while sharing congratulations with the other parents.

"Mom! Mom!" There was a break in the crowd and Hinata spotted Boruto, his yellow hair shining bright in the sunshine.

"Over here!" Naruto raised an arm. Boruto looked towards them, doing a double take at the sight of his father here at the school, instead of at work. "This way, Boruto!"

"Dad! Mom!" Boruto launched himself into Naruto's arms. Naruto caught him and hoisted him high. "Look! I did it! I passed! I'm a ninja just like you guys! See! Look! And my headband!" Boruto flashed his diploma and slipped on the headband.

"Congratulations!" Hinata wrapped her arms around her husband and son, peppering Boruto's whiskered cheeks with kisses. "I'm so proud of you, my little lightning bolt!"

"Mooooom, don't call me that here!" Boruto groaned. "By the way dad, why are you here? Don't you have work or something?"

"I had to be here. Being your dad is more important than being the Hokage, and today is a big day for you." Naruto looked into Boruto's bright blue eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Boruto. You're going to make a great ninja."

Hinata gently smiled as Boruto's cheeks pinked with a light blush at his father's words. Naruto pulled his son close and gave him a tight hug before lifting him higher, setting Boruto to sit on his shoulders.

"Now, Hima is waiting for us with Auntie Hanabi and Grandpa, how about we three head over there and share the good news with them over dinner?"

"Yeah!" Boruto shouted. "Mom, dad, that test was so easy. I don't know what I was worried about!"

"Oh really, I remember it being hard as heck!" Naruto mused.

"It wasn't that bad when we were kids," Hinata laughed.

"No! It was super hard, Hime! I failed three tim- I mean, uh…"

"Dad! You failed the test three times?!"

"That's right, he did!"

"Hime!"

"Well, luckily I took after mom, passing on the first try! Jeez, dad, how do you fail three times?"

"Clone Technique."

"What?"

"Clone Technique. I sucked at it! Still kinda do…"

"Daaad! How can you suck at Clone Technique and be a master of Shadow Clone Jutsu? I mean, you can make like, a thousand Shadow Clones, but when you were my age you couldn't do Clone Technique? Laaaaaaame!"

"Hey now, I'll drop you!"

The air was filled with laughter as the Uzumakis made their way to the Hyūga compound. Behind them, the sun poked through the leaves, illuminating the swing as it rocked gently back and forth.


End file.
